1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drum washing machine, and more particularly, to a transit bolt coupling structure of a drum washer, enabling to prevent the tub provided in the washing machine from moving during transportation of the washing machine.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a drum washing machine is an apparatus for washing laundries by rotating a drum via a driving force of a motor when detergent, wash water, and laundries are inserted therein. The drum washing machine has advantages of preventing laundries from being damaged and from being entangled, as well as achieving a rub washing effect.
A drum washing machine of a related art will be described in detail referring to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a component diagram showing components of a drum washing machine of a related art. Referring to FIG. 1, the drum washing machine includes a cabinet 1 having a laundry entrance provided on a front surface thereof for inserting and withdrawing laundries, a door 2 provided on the laundry chamber and being opened and closed, a tub 10 made of a plastic material and provided in the cabinet so as to store wash water, a drum 20 rotatably provided in the tub 10, and a motor 30 provided at a rear portion of the tub 10 and transmitting a driving force to the drum 20.
A drying duct 40 is provided at an upper part of the tub 10. A fan 42 and a drying heater 44 are provided in the drying duct 40 so as to create and circulate hot air. A first end of the drying duct 40 is communicated with a front portion of the tub 10.
A second end of the drying duct 40 is communicated with a first end of a condensing duct 50. A second end of the condensing duct 50 is communicated with a surface of the tub 10 so as to form a circulating passage together with the drying duct 40.
Meanwhile, the tub 10 includes a spring 31 provided at an upper part thereof and a damper 32 provided at a lower part thereof, so as to reduce vibration generated during washing.
The drum washing machine of the related art including the structure mentioned above may be damaged because the tub 10 is moved by the spring 31 and the damper 32 and hit against the cabinet when the washing machine is delivered from a warehouse or for delivery.
In other words, the tub 10 is not completely fixed on the cabinet 1 but is supported by the spring 31 and the damper 32, movably provided in a predetermined range, and remaining in the air. Therefore, the tub 10 hits against an inner surface of the cabinet 1 when the washing machine is shaken heavily during delivery.
Accordingly, in order to prevent the tub 10 from being moved when the drum washing machine is transported after being manufactured, a transit bolt 60 is inserted into a coupling hole 3 formed at a rear surface of the cabinet 1 and coupled with a coupling member 12 formed on a rear surface of the tub 10 so as to fix the tub 10 on the cabinet 1.
Meanwhile, in recent years, a drum washing machine is being developed enabling to smoothly flow dry air by coupling the condensing duct with a lower end of a rear surface of the tub and coupling the drying duct with a front surface of the tub such that the dry air drawn from the front surface of the tub is discharged to a rear side of the tub.
FIG. 2 illustrates a drum washing machine having a structure in which a condensing duct is coupled with a rear surface of a tub. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a drying duct 46 includes a first end coupled with a front side of the tub 16, and a second end having a fan 48 mounted thereat. A condensing duct 52 includes a first end coupled with a lower part of a rear surface of a tub 16, and a second end coupled with a portion of the dying duct 46, the portion having the fan 48 formed thereon. In this case, in order to save a space, the condensing duct 52 is mounted on a rear surface of the tub 16 so as to be connected therewith.
Accordingly, the hot air blown by the fan 48 is drawn into a front surface of the tub 16 through the drying duct 46 and then drawn into the condensing duct 52 through a lower end of a rear side of the tub 16 so as to flow back to the drying duct 46.
A problem is however generated from coupling the condensing duct with the rear surface of the tub. First, among other coupling members coupled with the transit bolt 60, a coupling member 18 provided at an upper side is covered by the condensing duct, and thus it is impossible to couple the transit bolt with the coupling member thereat.
Accordingly, in order to couple the transit bolt with the coupling member, the coupling member for the transit bolt on the rear surface of the tub is necessarily moved to another location. In this case, many problems are raised including a problem that a new mold for manufacturing the tub needs to be manufactured.
Second, there is a disadvantage that the tub is unequally supported even though a new mold is manufactured and the coupling member is moved to an outside of the condensing duct.
Particularly, when the transit bolt is coupled using only existing coupling members while leaving the coupling member covered by the condensing duct without being coupled with the transit bolt.